Shock at impending Singapore racing closure

Australian jockeys and trainers were shocked to learn that racing in Singapore is to cease next year.

The Singapore Turf Club told participants on Monday that the last meeting in Singapore would be on October 5, 2024, after 180 years of racing.

Melbourne Cup winning jockey Corey Brown had a successful three-and-a-half-year stint in Singapore before returning home in 2017.

“I was blown away when I read the article on Monday,” Brown said.

“For me it’s disappointing and I can’t believe it has got to this.

“I knew it had gone downhill a little since I left, but I was always under the impression they would be able to pick it up and get it back to what it was.

“I was really disappointed when I heard the news.”

Mark Zahra, who rode in Singapore in the early days of Kranji from 2004 to 2006 and has made several short trips in recent years said it was sad that a racing centre like Singapore could close.

“I won my first Group 1 up there,” the Melbourne Cup winning rider said.

“It’s very sad that something like this can happen

“It will affect a lot of the bloodstock industry, the trainers, and some of the jockeys that are up there.

“Hopefully someone can pull a rabbit out of the hat and save it.”

Zahra rides in Brisbane on Saturday before flying to Singapore that night to ride Golden Monkey for expatriate trainer Tim Fitzsimmons in the Group 3 Silver Bowl (1400m).

Trainer Cliff Brown, who spent more than 12 years plying his trade in Singapore before returning to Melbourne in 2021, said unfortunately racing had been left to wither.

He said consultants’ advice to the Turf Club of impending dangers when two new casinos were introduced in 2010 was not heeded.

“It should still be a great racing place,” Brown said.

“They had consultants come in when the casinos were introduced, but they did nothing because their turnover was still good.

“They let it go, and the next thing you know turnover started to tail off.

“So, it’s not a new problem. It’s a 10-year problem that needed to be addressed 10 years ago and then it possibly would have turned around.”

Brown still holds an interest in Singapore racing with a horse in work with his former assistant Tim Fitzsimmons, while a number of his owners of horses in Melbourne still have horses in Singapore.